Study: Drinking coffee can make you fat

29 May 2013, BioSpectrum Bureau , BioSpectrum

Singapore: A study conducted by Australian researchers from the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research (WAIMR) and the School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, have discovered that a compound found in coffee, known as Chlorogenic Acid (CGA), affected the utilization of fat in mice liver and caused abnormal retention of fat within cells. The obese mice also had a tendency for a higher degree of glucose intolerance and increased insulin resistance.

The collaborative study titled, "Supplementation of a high-fat diet with chlorogenic acid is associated with insulin resistance and hepatic lipid accumulation in mice", has been published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. The researchers also found that CGA doesn't prevent weight gain in obese laboratory mice fed a high-fat diet when used at higher doses.

Professor Kevin Croft, University of Western Australia, said that, "Studies have shown that coffee consumption lowers the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This also included research on decaffeinated coffee, which suggested that the health benefits are from a compound in coffee apart from caffeine. With this in mind, we studied the effects of Polyphenols, or more specifically CGAs, which are very rich in coffee but also found in tea and some fruits including plums. The CGAs were previously known for their health benefits, increasing insulin sensitivity and reducing blood pressure and body fat accumulation.

Assistant professor Vance Matthews, WAIMR, said that, "This study proved the opposite in dosages equivalent to five or six cups of coffee per day. It seems that the health effects are dose-dependent. A moderate intake of coffee, up to three to four cups a day still seems to decrease the risk of developing diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Everybody knows about the effects of caffeine, but when we're considering our lifestyle choices it's important to remember that compounds such as CGA can have an effect on our health if they're not consumed in moderation."

"People might be wasting their money if they're buying expensive products like green coffee bean dietary supplements which are currently considered to be amazing weight loss products," Professor Croft said.